Finding You Again
by Aquarius Galuxy
Summary: [Oneshot] A quarrel. Two repentant hearts. Would a broken shoe bring them back together? RayMariah lime.


2006! A new year, a new one-shot. ;) I'm really, really sorry for making you people wait… (Well, whoever's left of the ReiMao fandom, anyway.) I got inspiration for this fic in 2004 (I think), when my shoe broke, and I was using a plastic bag as a shoe to walk around… XD Good experience. Bad shoe.

And I'm also sorry for the long intervals between posts… T-T School has started, and I've been posted to a new school and all, so there really isn't much time for me to write. Much. T-T Have pity on me? And forgive me? (By the way, I've started the 'Fic Status' section in my profile.)

Oh! And to plug a ReiMao fic written by a friend of mine, read **Destined Love** by **XtremeGal87**! XP It's really nice! And it's been so long since someone other than me posted a ReiMao fic…

Warning: This fic contains a lime, so be forewarned. ;)

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade, though I would sorely like to. XD

Enjoy the fic, people! And review after you've read it! All reviews would be greatly appreciated. (You could R&R the 2005 Christmas fic, too… That one needs reviews more. ;D)

**Finding You Again  
****By Aquarius Galuxy**

A frown creased her smooth forehead as she made her way down the crowded street, with no particular destination in mind. Around her, happy couples strolled by, smiling and talking easily to each other, intimacy emanating from them.

Her fingers tightened subconsciously around the pink mobile phone clutched in her hand, irritated sparks flashing in her eyes at anyone who happened to glance her way. Why couldn't Ray be responsible and look at the situation from her perspective, too? It wasn't as if it would cost him anything, or hurt him…

Without bidding it to, the scene replayed itself in her head. What started as a friendly discussion had turned into something less pleasant when they disagreed on the payment of their house. She'd wanted it to be paid for all at once, but he wanted the cost to be divided into installments. And they'd both stuck resolutely to their suggestions… Not knowing anything else to say to him, she had called for a time-out and left the house.

They were engaged, for God's sake! _Don't quarrels ruin marriages if not kept in check?_, a little voice said in her head. Mariah winced. She didn't want things between her and Ray to sour… She still loved him, despite the quarrel.

Her feet led her past the shops, to an open, paved area that had slightly less people than the crowded street. A road was to her left, where cars skimmed by, though the vehicles in the rightmost lane were slower due to the pick-up zone ahead. Above, the sky was turning a pale shade of vermillion, with peach-streaked clouds lining it. A cold breeze started up, ruffling her untied hair and raising goosebumps on her skin.

It would be getting dark soon… The woman drew her hands up and rubbed her arms, trying to generate heat to ease the chilled skin. She was starting to miss Ray, and the delicious warmth he had… Come to think of it, there was no point staying angry with him. It was useless to deny his presence just because they didn't see eye to eye on one matter… And she should have also considered what he said…

Mariah bit her lip. She'd done the same thing he did, and only blamed him for it… She was also responsible for the disagreement, and her conscience tugged painfully at her heartstrings.

All it took was to call him, and tell him she was sorry. Would he still be mad at her? She couldn't forget how frustrated he looked, how he'd suddenly become impatient. It was that thought which made her hesitate, uncertain.

She lifted her foot to take another step, but stopped in surprise when she felt her shoe being lighter than what it should have been. Looking down, Mariah noticed that the sole of her shoe had come off, and all that she had was a thin layer of material beneath her foot. In her haste to leave the house, she'd worn the old pair of shoes that she was planning to throw away.

What was she to do now? People were already giving her curious stares, since she was standing stationary in the middle of the street. She blushed. The only reasonable solution now was to move to a more secluded location, then think of a way to get home.

Gingerly, she bent down to retrieve the rubber sole, then hobbled over to a low parapet wall that surrounded a tree. It was too embarrassing to stand among all those people… The woman sighed and sat on the wall, withdrawing her foot from her shoes and letting them rest atop the soft material. The wind blew over her toes, cooling them with soothing strokes and teasing a grin from her lips.

Still, she had to go home soon… She (and probably Ray, too) hadn't eaten yet, and it was getting dark. This was worsened by the fact that she had not thought to bring money along with her. She only had her mobile phone…

_Call him_, the little voice said. But… What if he didn't want to talk to her? The woman certainly had not felt like talking when she left. Though she would have liked to hear his voice again… It was more sincere to call, but then, it would also sting more if he was still mad… Her heart was heavy with his absence. What could he be doing at this moment?

_Send him a text message._ Perhaps… It didn't sound quite as heartfelt, but it would leave him a longer time to decide… Text messages saved any awkward silences, as well… Hopefully, he'd cooled down by then… It would be for the best.

With swift fingers, Mariah keyed a message into her mobile phone, then pressed the "send" button before she allowed herself to hesitate.

It was only after that that she snapped her phone shut and let herself relax, looking up at the darkening sky. She exhaled slowly. If Ray didn't come, she would set off for home at night barefoot, when the heated pavement wasn't as harsh on her feet. The street population would decrease in number, too. For now… She could only wait.

* * *

Ray paced the floor of their living room, occasionally glancing at the closed front door, almost hoping that she would return. He hadn't meant to anger her like that, and it was the first time they'd actually quarreled.

Where was she? Was she thinking of returning, forgiving him, even? Honestly, he had not realised that he'd pushed her too far… What happened to living in harmony? He _was_ sorry to see her unsettled this way. But… he wouldn't be able to find her on the streets like that. He didn't even know where she was.

One thing was certain, though. He knew that he wanted to see her happy again. The man didn't mind holding her in her arms, apologising a multitude of times, getting to his knees… But first, he had to get her to listen to him…

With a sigh, he continued to pace. Calling her on the mobile phone would sound so distant… He needed to see her in person, speak with her… It was almost an hour since she left, and it was getting dark…

His mobile phone beeped.

Ray turned quickly and looked at it, wondering who sent the message. Could it be her?

He crossed the room in a few strides, scooping the rectangular weight into his hand in a fluid movement. A few simple pushes of the necessary buttons yielded the identity of the sender. It _was_ her… Another push revealed the message that she'd sent. What could it be about?

_Ray, my shoe broke near the head of Daffodil Street. I don't have money for a cab, and will be staying here till nightfall. Just so you know._

Well… At least she was calling him by his name… And at least he knew where she was… Though what would happen to her once the sun set? Daffodil Street wasn't exactly known to be safe at night…

A rumble of worry tugged at his heart. He was concerned for her safety, and he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if anything happened to her…

Perhaps they could sort things out after he'd rescued her from the street… Drawing a deep breath, Ray headed for the door, stopping by the shoe rack to grab a pair of Mariah's sandals. He'd have the chance of getting her to hear him out, too.

Hopefully, all could be well before the night ended…

* * *

It was getting to be rather dull sitting on the parapet wall, Mariah realised. Hues of blue were already spreading over the calm sky, tinting the far edge with navy. In the distance, rain clouds crept ever closer, with slight, cold breezes that sent her shivering.

Was Ray ever going to arrive? She'd waited for around half an hour, and the thought of leaving the place very soon occurred to her. There seemed to be less people around, though sometimes street gangs roamed the place, starting fights where they weren't due. A quiver made its way down her spine. She'd have to leave this place very soon…

The woman swiveled her head and observed the street slowly, noting that it would be a good time to set off home. It was lonely here… Dusk came and went in a flash, signaling her time to leave. Street lamps pierced the darkness with warm, amber rays that comforted her slightly.

Perhaps Ray really wasn't coming, after all. And the rain clouds were still heading this way… Heaving a sigh, Mariah leaned forward and gathered her shoes, before walking to a nearby bin and thrusting the worn material in. She raised a foot slightly and rubbed its sole over the top of the other foot to brush the dirt off, before repeating the action with her other foot. With that done, she turned and started off home, the rough ground causing her to wince and walk gingerly.

Shoes couldn't be taken for granted, either.

Voices could be heard all around her, some jolly, some tired, as well as the occasional whine of children. Speaking of children… She wouldn't mind having a few with Ray someday… A smile touched her lips.

Soft purrs of vehicle engines whizzed by on the road as she walked along it uncomfortably. There was one, however, that drew up beside her, gently whirring. Mariah started in surprise, then her heart fluttered to life when she recognized the familiar colour of the car next to her. It was needless to say that she knew who the driver was, too.

The passenger window was wound down, and through it, she could see the man bending down to retrieve something, before he leaned forward and handed a pair of sandals to her wordlessly. She hesitated, still not daring to look him in the eye. His lips looked inviting… She averted her attention to the sandals. It warmed her to see that he actually bothered… Should she accept them? It was nice of him to get her those…

Muttering her thanks, Mariah accepted the pair, lowering the comforting weight onto the ground and easing her feet into them. In doing so, she missed the faint sparkle that twinkled in his eyes. It was gone by the time she straightened. The silence that ensued seemed too long. Should she walk home herself? He had done a lot by bringing the sandals to her…

"We won't get anything done if you just stand out there, Mari," he offered, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. She drew a deep breath, finally locking her gaze with his. Those beautiful golden eyes… They seemed so warm… To think that they'd… just quarreled… "Come on in."

She knew no other choice as she obeyed, quietly pulling the car door open and slipping in to the seat next to his. A lungful of his scent soothed her, made her want to sort things out with him and get back into his arms.

It was pretty much of a creature comfort, she thought, snuggling back into the velvet seat. There weren't many things that could outshine a comfortable place to rest, such as this one… The window was wound back up, and cold, chilly air replaced that which was traced with the smell of oncoming rain.

Mariah glanced sideways at him as he started to drive. Was he going to say anything? Anything about her? Their quarrel? She knew that she did miss him during the time in between… Did he still bear something against her? She lowered her gaze.

Where were they going, anyway? The woman looked out of her window, watching the darkened landscape as it rolled by. They were heading out of the city, towards the rain clouds…

"Sorry 'bout treating you the way I did just now," Ray's deep voice reached her ears, edged with guilt. From the corner of her eye, she saw him throw a glance at her. Her heart tripped. How should she respond?

"I'll try really hard not to upset you again, I promise."

They pulled into a car park, one which she recognized as being near the sea. It wasn't quite clear how they got here so quickly… The sounds of waves crashing against rocky beaches could be heard, despite their being slightly muffled. At such a time, this place was deserted… She looked over at him with a racing heart. What did he plan to do here?

He unbuckled his seatbelt, turning to look at her first, before leaning close to her – so close that his breath skimmed over her lips. This sent a surge of excitement through her body, made her blood course through her head, just under her skin, to her limbs, her chest, her pelvic region, so that she flushed lightly, wanting him to be even closer… She licked her lips, unaware of the wet sheen she created as she anticipated the smooth caress of his mouth against hers. Was he aware of this?

"You- You do?" she whispered, inhaling and exhaling deeply. In a way, she was still physically trapped by her seatbelt. It could be kinky… She flushed as she thought of that, almost missing the rough, murmured "Yes" he managed, before he grasped her arms and pressed her to the seat.

It felt delicious, this notion of being unable to break free from his hold. The warmth rose to her head and made her dizzy; barely a second later, his lips were on hers, softly at first, so that she shivered against him, then started to respond. The love he conveyed seemed – felt – so deep, that it caused her to whimper and shift closer. He leaned further in and kissed her hard with a ferocity that made her moan, pressing closer to him. Liquid heat flooded her veins, filling her with want for a carnal joining, made her slick with need for him.

With that, he broke away, breathing deeply. His eyes were glazed over with masculine appreciation. Yet a grin plastered itself on his moist lips. "Will you forgive me now?"

Mariah couldn't help but smile at him, wondering at how easily he'd won her over. "Yeah."

"Come on, let's go for a walk outside." He grinned and pushed the button to free her from the seatbelt, then patted her hand. Grinning again at her, he got out of the car, walking over to her side, where she broke out from her trance and joined him on the walkway.

There was something she wanted to tell him, too… "Ray?"

He caught her hand and raised it to his lips, kissing her knuckles softly, so that a shiver shook her frame. "Yeah?"

"I'm sorry for being impatient just now…" she looked anxiously into his eyes. This was so new that she didn't exactly know how he'd react.

Ray grinned and pulled her close in a one-armed hug, rubbing the silver band on her finger. "Its okay, Mari."

She smiled joyously at him in return, following him closely as he strolled along the path to the beach. Saline water lapped gently at the shore, filling the gaps between the shingles, then withdrawing into the sea. An unexpected gust of wind blew, causing their hair to ruffle and the waves to shatter with louder crashes. In the twilight, angry storm clouds could be seen fast approaching the shore. Flashes of lightning struck within the foggy darkness.

The woman leaned close to Ray, inhaling the chilly, salty breeze. It didn't seem quite as cold now, with him next to her. She quivered when he snaked an arm around her waist and drew her close. It was very peaceful, too. If things could stay this way forever…

Ray slid his hand past her hip and towards himself, so that he wound up lightly cupping her rear. He must have heard the small gasp that escaped her lips, from the way he slanted a look down at her and patted her twice. The nerve of him! And the enticing pressure of his hand…

Using that same hand, he pulled her against him, tipping her chin up with his other hand. All was silent at that moment, and she wound her arms around his neck, pulling herself yet closer to him. He felt very much like a warm pillar of strong, hard muscle…

Thunder rumbled above, at the same time he tilted his head and brought his lips to hers, probing into her mouth with his tongue. She moaned at the playful warmth, the desire of more sexual contact growing in every fibre of her being.

His fingers threaded through her hair, sliding through the locks as she felt him applying pressure to the nape of her neck to bring her further against him. Shivering, she slipped her tongue into his mouth and teased him in return, lightly brushing her chest against his.

He groaned and pulled his hand down to caress her breasts. She arched into him at the heavy pressure, eager for the burning contact. Then he broke away slightly to allow for air. She panted shallowly, winding her arms more tightly around him.

"I want you," he whispered against her lips. Cloudy passion fogged her mind and made her want this as much as he seemed to…

The heat of the moment caught her tongue, rendering it useless for speech – only to let her touch him, taste him with it. She sighed, overwhelmed with emotion, then nuzzled his cheek. It struck her that she couldn't think of a reply for sheer desire for him… Mariah parted her lips, about to kiss him again, when patters of raindrops reached their ears. Blinking, she pulled away and stared at him for a few moments, until they realised that the skies had opened up, and each second that passed brought on heavier rain.

A slow grin crept up his lips as he stood back and watched her, his eyes straying to her breasts with an approving indolence. She felt more self-conscious as she continued to breathe. The simple rise and fall of her chest did not usually matter much to her… until it came to times like this, when his fixed, hungry gaze gave her excited shivers.

The absence of trees caused him to look increasingly drenched, so that the contours of his chest were highlighted… And he looked nice… She stepped closer to grab his hand, smiling. It suddenly seemed easier to speak. "We're going to be soaked… Let's go back."

He nodded and followed her hurried footsteps back to the car amidst the pelting rain, where he went forward and pulled the back door open. He slid in after her, shutting the door tightly behind them.

Around, rain clashed with the car body to produce metallic tinkles, and the lack of light shrouded the interior of the car in darkness.

Mariah turned around to face him, smiling slightly. Her clothes were almost clinging to her form like a sticky second skin, giving her the urge to pull them off… Wet, cold trickles of water slid over her hands, dripping onto the car seat. She was acutely aware of his gaze as it burned over her body, hunger stirring in the depths of his eyes. Without speaking, he leaned forward and gently pinned her onto the seat, giving himself the position right above her. She breathed shallowly, kicking her sandals off her feet and squirming to get a more comfortable position beneath him.

The man leaned down slowly, so slowly that her heart gave painful, hungry throbs that yearned for him. He brushed her lips with his, sending a tingle down her spine, before drawing his tongue across her lips, then teasing them apart with a greater urgency. She shivered in anticipation, gasping in surprise wen he slid a hand beneath her shirt and eased it up.

A light blush crossed her cheeks when he drew the material above her bra. He grinned, cupping her breast with a warm hand and squeezing it ever so slightly, that she whimpered and arched her back, pressing further into his hand. This promise of more pleasure… Mariah ground her hips against his, moaning at the tightness in her belly that was caused by the hot, hard length she felt in his pants.

Ray groaned, shuddering, then shifted his head to her side to nibble on her earlobe. She squirmed beneath him, eager to generate more delicious friction. He growled, then slipped his hand under her bra, rolling a tightened nipple between his thumb and forefinger. The heat in her belly intensified to an extent that made her writhe against him, panting, urging for him to take her, bring her to the heights of undeniable pleasure…

He kissed her hard, with the same burning need, pausing to whisper huskily in her ear. "Soon, love. Soon…"

* * *

And that brings us to the end of the one-shot! Three things you should do: Firstly, REVIEW THIS FIC. Secondly, REVIEW THE CHRISTMAS FIC. Thirdly, REVIEW **DESTINED LOVE** BY **XTREMEGAL87**. XD That's all for now.

In the reviews, tell me what I should improve, if the rating was suitable, and comment on the plot. I don't mind compliments, either. ;)


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